


ideally

by WinterSonata101



Category: Pocket Monsters: Black & White | Pokemon Black and White Versions
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Heavy reshiram/Zekrom shipping, Implied Dom!touko, It's CLEAN, No worries, Not much mention of other pokemon, She wears the pants, Soulmates yall, beware of death, i love these two so much, oh well, you don't understand
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 09:28:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20255884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterSonata101/pseuds/WinterSonata101
Summary: n and touko in the eyes of zekrom.(Soulmates AU, inconsistent lapslock, character death, fluff and light angst. Enjoy!)





	ideally

**Author's Note:**

> Welp. I'm 1737488337 years late to this ship, but have this 6k monster I unknowingly created.

ideally

x

n and Touko in the eyes of zekrom.

x

humans are odd, odd creatures. 

I have lived since the beginning of time itself, and have experienced a period before any human ever existed. to this day, after hundreds of reincarnations, I still stand by this opinion.

they are strange, because they like to make life difficult with all these customs and laws and contracts, when it is much easier to simply follow natural instinct.

heh. natural. that is the name of my foolish trainer's mate.

well, soon-to-be mate, if only she would hurry it up and make him hers before any other disgusting female sinks her claws into him. 

...I admit, I am biased. but who is better a partner than his actual counterpart, who has the complement dragon to his?

and please, I've known far longer than anyone, with the exclusion of my darling reshiram, that these two have always had intertwining fate-strings. always have, always will. been there, done that.

they are the exact same people from last time, just with different names and appearances. I would know, because it has only happened 500 times over.

n and Touko. I have seen them in many forms, yet their hearts remain unchanged. sometimes they are royals, sometimes the gender roles are switched, and sometimes they end up not falling in love, but they have always found each other no matter what. they are one of the few soulmate pairs that I have had the honor of meeting.

though, I would appreciate if they stopped salivating over each other from afar and just go and make a few dozen eggs somewhere remote, most preferably with me and reshiram far, far away when that happens. I would like to preserve my respect for them, please.

speaking of...

Touko is currently doing the strange human tradition where two people meet snouts or something with n. I believe it is called, er, 'kissing'. it is a rather long 'kiss', and I couldn't help but notice that the air around them is starting to saturate with their pheromones.

yes, finally! they have realized their unquenchable thirst for the other and are going to make eggs for the next few days!

at least, that is the plan, until reshiram my darling roars a reprimanding roar that makes them jump five feet apart.

no! they were so close!

I see reshiram's beautiful mane billowing out of the corner of my eye and scowl at her. 'dear, why did you interrupt them? didn't you see how close they were to falling into temptation??'

reshiram scowls back. 'love, unlike you, I find human tradition to be rather romantic and tasteful, if you actually knew what that meant.' she sniffs, and I gasp in offense.

before I could bite back a snarky retort, our humans interrupt us.

'reshiram, what was that for!' Touko cries, her cheeks a bright red. n is silent, but he has an accusatory glare directed at my counterpart, who grumbles.

'i am all for you two making eggs together,' she defended, ignoring n's blush, 'but I would rather have you make things... how to say, 'official' first. Touko, you must marry him first, and then you can do anything you want with him.' the corners of reshiram's sleek snout curl into a dazzling smile. I can practically see the flowery marriages and sappy vows going through her head.

she is hopeless.

if Touko's face was red before, it is now purple. 'what!' she squeaks, with a tight voice. it makes her sound like a patrat.

'marry him, and he will be yours,' reshiram repeats slowly, with the patience of a saint.

'what!' 

I simply sit back and let the drama go on. it is rather amusing to watch reshiram attempt to play matchmaker while her targets somewhat fall into her ploys.

'm-marriage?' n repeats weakly, his face almost as purple as Touko's. reshiram nods adamantly. 'yes, marriage.'

I sigh to myself. it is going to be a long day.

x

I look around impatiently, my muscles tense in agitation. the plan could not commence if the Mastermind is not present herself.

just as the line of thought crosses my mind, a familiar figure appears on the horizon. she is running at a very fast pace, a smile splitting her face.

"it worked! it worked!" she hollers breathlessly, and not a second later, a familiar white figure also makes its presence known on the horizon. it is following rather angrily, so I let Touko hop onto my back and instantly take off.

we fly at high speeds, and even higher altitudes, but Touko remains laughing even though it depletes what little oxygen she has. "you know the plan right?" she asks, for the hundredth time, and I growl in agreement. she has told me over and over of her scheme, and I have it memorized by heart by now.

there is a ferocious roar somewhere behind us, and I do not have to look back to know that it is my lovely reshiram throwing a fit.

'touko! you stupid human girl come back this instant!' she screeches angrily. I could not help but wince at the shrillness.

'what did you do.' I questioned her tiredly. Touko grins wider, and there is a glint of madness in it. I shrink back slightly. females scare me.

"I'm doing what I must!" the girl announces proudly, and I could only sigh.

as planned, we weave seamlessly in and out of clouds, dancing out of the way of reshiram's blue flames, and yet keep ourselves in sight of her. n cries out in panic atop her, holding onto her fur and feathers for dear life. his desperate pleas for her to calm down go ignored, and I hear Touko snicker from her perch at the base of my neck.

after narrowly dodging a few more flaming pillars of death, we see our marker and make a beeline for it. 

it is a small tranquill, squawking indignantly when it sees the terrifying flaming dragon following hot on our heels.

'this isn't part of the plan!' it wailed, and I nodded sympathetically. 'no it is not, but reshiram has always been a wildcard. now, off we go!' I order, and the tranquill manages a feathered salute before it glides downwards at an obtuse angle.

the wind whips at my scales and throws Touko's hair out of order, yet she still giggles like a delighted human child. the same could not be said for her soon-to-be mate, who is screaming at the top of his lungs as my love nosedives in our direction, still flaming and mad.

'i will get you you pesky girl!' reshiram threatens, and I feel the heat of her flames grow hotter the closer she gets to us, so I quickly put some distance between us.

'just a little more, Zekrom, and you'll be out of your misery!' Touko assures me, patting my neck. I grumble, eyes trained on the tranquill who is leading the way to our destination.

soon, the clouds part to reveal a beautiful, seemingly untouched island, almost fully overgrown with greenery and trees. the clearing designated as our destination looks out of place in a land so rich with flora, but I ignore that thought and zoom towards it.

I alight gently on the sand, and a few more moments later I hear reshiram's flapping wings, but she does not land.

instead, she is flying in place, transfixed on the surprise we had planned for her and her partner.

n has also stopped screaming, but his eyes are wide and his mouth has not closed. perhaps he is screaming internally?

I smirk proudly to myself. and reshiram says I did not have a single romantic bone in my body.

on the sand written in dragon runes and human speak, is

'until flames burn out and lightning strikes no more

I would have my dance only with you.'

x

(unovan traditions, Touko once told me, have always emphasized dance as a large part of its culture. dance expresses emotions, and it can also tell a story. to dance with someone, in unovan speak, is to be their partner for better or for worse. it is the ultimate vow one can make, and a declaration of utmost commitment.

dance partners with the music, with the fun and cheer, are bound to change, but a partner who stands by you in spite of it is one worth sharing a life with, or so I've been told.

and for Touko to include it in her vow... well, to say she is serious is an understatement.)

x

two crowns of flowers sit innocently beneath the gargantuan yet delicate script. I pick up the one I had painstakingly made, fumbling with my claws and destroying more flowers than I care to count. it is slightly misshapen and a little worn, but I am proud because it is of my work. 

Touko picks up the other one, interwoven with pretty red, white and pink flowers I do not know the name of, and walks towards her counterpart.

reshiram lands gently, beautiful eyes still fixated on the script carved into the loose sand, and I approach her carefully. she is rather unpredictable at times, and who's to say that she wouldn't burn me to a crisp the moment she comes to herself?

n has slid off reshiram's back, still agape, even as Touko gingerly fits the fragile little crown onto his unruly hair. his eyes never leave hers as she adjusts the crown before taking his hands in hers.

I follow in my partner's example and gently place the flower crown on my darling's head. it is slightly too big, and slips forward into her eyes, but I still think her beautiful. I attempt to correct the positioning of the little wreath as I listen in to Touko's 'proposal'.

'pink magnolias, because it is only natural,' she laughs gently, eyes focused on him and him only. reshiram begins to shake from beside me. 'white chrysanthemums for the truth you hold, and wield as a hero.' reshiram's shaking increases, and it makes me wonder if she is the one being proposed to instead of her partner. n is still gawping.

'and red roses, for our love,' Touko finishes confidently, before going down on one knee. are those tears in n's eyes?

'fate has smiled upon us in this lifetime, and the past ones too. I would like to take the chance to make you mine, as long as you would have me. forever, if I could be so selfish, I would like to dance with you, until the flames burn out and lightning strikes no more.'

in the silence that follows her vows, I am tackled and nuzzled by a motorboat-purring reshiram before I could say my own words, and resign myself to another lifetime of her incessant yet delightful pestering.

in my heart of hearts, I know that n has also made his decision long ago.

x

weddings are a hassle. I hate them.

reshiram loves them, but that is expected because everything I hate, she loves, and vice versa.

the flowers and unnecessary glitter are making me sneeze, which in turn are causing random passers-by to get a nasty little shock from my turbine each time it happens. it has caused most of the humans to give me a wide berth every time they walk by, and I am grateful for it.

I am standing in front of the bride's tent, where Touko is getting groomed by fussing females with all kinds of sprays and brushes, and having odd paint being smeared on her face. I have attempted to take a peek inside but the mass amounts of powders and fragrances deter me. it is at times like these that I hated my hypersensitive sense of smell.

I have resorted to sulking outside, watching humans hawing and cooing over my darling's astounding beauty, brushing her marvelous mane and admiring her beautiful appearance. she is immensely enjoying the attention, I could tell, and I could not help but feel slightly lonely from my spot in front of the tent.

suddenly, reshiram turns her head towards me, mane billowing in an invisible wind, and she gently pushes away from the circle of humans to bound towards me. she looks a bit more made-up than usual. I could see glitter on her eyelids and delicate black ribbons encircling some parts of her body, enhancing the pure white of her fur and feathers.

I myself am wearing a single white bowtie, which I find embarrassing but wore anyway because Touko insisted. I have refused any other accessory she had thrown at me, and she had relented, thankfully.

reshiram croons and nuzzles my neck. I sigh and indulge her.

'why are you all alone on this beautiful day?' she questions, and I sense a hint of guilt in her tone. 'im sorry, I should not have left you for those humans.'

I nuzzle her back reassuringly. 'it is alright. I am merely keeping my partner company. you should go enjoy yourself.'

reshiram glares and stubbornly plants herself in front of me. I hear the humans from before cooing at how cute we are.

I shrug. 'suit yourself.' reshiram huffs and demands that I brush her mane. I oblige and run my claws through the silky strands as gently as I could.

the ceremony is due to start in two hours. people are still milling about, touching up the preparations and chatting amongst themselves. originally, Touko had planned for it to be held indoors, but then she remembered that us dragons would not be able to fit inside and changed the venue to accommodate us. it is sweet of her.

the long wooden chairs called 'pews' I believe, are half full. I could not spot anyone I recognized, with the exception of Touko's rambunctious brother touya, who is talking to two girls I assume to be n's sisters. Anthea and Concordia, if I remember correctly.

many Pokemon are also present. Touko's team, consisting of a samurott, a liepard, a gothitelle, a sawsbuck, and an archen are helping with decorations. n's numerous friends from his travels are entertaining the guests with their antics, with a few of them leading guests to their seats.

I find it amazing how people and Pokemon are able to coexist so peacefully, and help each other no matter what the circumstances. it is likened to Touko's ideal world, and n's undiscovered truth. it is beautiful, and I am honored to be able to witness it.

day turns into night, and the number of guests seems to have tripled. the pews are crammed with excited humans, and it would not be a stretch to say that the whole of Unova has attended. the man who will wed my partner to her soul's mate is standing patiently at the end of a long aisle, on an elevated wooden platform divided into halves of black and white.

in fact, now that the preparations are done, the whole place is decorated in halves of black and white. the carpet dividing the pews into two halves is gray, while one half of the pews is white and the other is black. even the altar is divided. 

hmm. a bit on the nose, but I suppose the humans do love to exaggerate. it is a historic event after all- the unification of black and white after hundreds of years of separation. I understand their excitement.

in the dark, wild chandelure, lampent and litwick keep the surroundings bright, aided by floating psychic orbs of light released by Touko's gothitelle. it makes the surroundings appear muted and dream-like. it is peaceful for a long while.

I see a boy run towards us, hair neatly combed and lips stretched into a smile. " great reshiram, great Zekrom, the ceremony will begin shortly. please follow me!" he bows, and straightens himself with an expectant air about him.

I nudge reshiram, who has dozed off in the midst of my combing, and she shakes herself before she nuzzles me and follows the young human. I trail after her, and I notice that the boy is leading us near the altar. I quickly catch on to what he wants us to do and take my place on the white half. reshiram steps into the black half, and after that, n is escorted by his Zoroark to stand in front of her.

he is wearing different clothing from before. the white clothes he is wearing are so full of ruffles, ribbons and flowing cloth that one could mistake it for a dress. it is modeled after reshiram's elegant form, so I suppose it would be on the more feminine side of the spectrum.

n wrings his hands nervously. his hair is not messy today. instead, it is combed neatly with half pulled into an intricate braid and the rest left to flow freely. he attempts to fiddle with his hair, only to be smacked by his Zoroark, who is also dressed for the occasion with a white bowtie around his neck.

suddenly, a hush falls over the crowd and i instinctually straighten up.

a Melody plays. little girls in puffy dresses colored in gray skip down the aisle, scattering glitter and flower petals. at least I am far enough away that I would not inhale them.

then, pairs of Touko's human friends and family make their way down the aisle, splitting off to either the black or white side according to gender.

lastly, Touko herself, escorted by her samurott, walk down the aisle. 

I hold my breath for some reason, and the time she takes to cross the whole of the gray carpet seems to stretch on forever, when in all actuality her march lasted no more than two minutes.

like N, she is also dressed differently. her dress is modeled after me. where n's flowy, frilly white outfit resembles but is not a dress, Touko's all-black ensemble is all structured lines and cut so masculine that it looks almost like a suit. instead of ribbons, plates of leather line her dress like the plates on my body. the dress is tapered and sleek and follows the lines of her body like a suit of armor. 

her black veil could not hide the beaming grin on her red painted lips, which n mirrored somewhat reluctantly. there is a mysterious stirring in my chest that makes me want to scoop Touko up and tell her I am proud of her, but I suppress it so as not to disrupt the highlight of the night.

her samurott juxtaposes himself to Zoroark while Touko takes her rightful place in front of her soon-to-be mate. the contrasts of black and white is staggering, but also harmonious.

heh. harmonious. likened to n's last name, harmonia- one that my partner would soon take as her own.

I have always hated the complexity of human customs, but in this moment, where I stand witness to the union of two kind, fated beings, I could now see why reshiram has always loved them.

in that moment, everything is beautiful.

x

'blue fire and red lightning meet and fuse together to produce mesmerizing fireworks.

multiples of them are seen on the night of the union of truth and ideals.

the echoing roars of the great dragons are the message for peace and unity to people and Pokemon alike, who will now live without the unnatural separation of black and white.'

x

after the wedding, the newly bonded mates hand me, reshiram, and Touko's team over to the day-care. they have promised to return in two weeks, and judging by the pheromones both were releasing, it would be a very eventful two weeks. 

for them, at least. 

I am glad to be able to stay far, far away from them, with reshiram by my side. 

and maybe the presence of two legendary dragons alongside relatively common Pokemon in the daycare has turned more heads and drawn more curious eyes than I would like, but at least I am with my darling, who could always just spit a fireball or two their way. we are usually left alone after that.

the day care couple are very nice. they call me 'kromie', and reshiram 'shira'. it is unexpectedly cute, and I have had to restrain reshiram from tackling their fragile bones out of sheer adoration far too many times to count. I would rather not have to explain to n and Touko that we had accidentally mauled our caretakers during our stay.

as promised, n and Touko show up at the daycare two weeks after they dropped us off. Touko has a self-satisfied smirk on her face, a possessive arm around n's waist. n has a goofy little smile and a dainty blush, cuddling closer to her. they are radiating happiness. I lean over the fence separating us and headbutt her gently. reshiram, in her excitement, practically bowls n over with her nuzzles and licks.

'ohh you two look so good together! yes I am very proud of you both!' she cries in dragon-speak. n chuckles, face reddening, while Touko's smirk widens. Touko could never talk to Pokemon like N can, but she has always had a deep understanding of them- a skill n struggles to master. 

Touko leaves n's side to go and settle her payments to the daycare couple, and n is immediately bombarded with questions and exclamations.

'are you okay?'

'did you treat her good!'

'why do you have marks on your neck?'

'do you guys have an egg yet?'

'we missed you!'

n can only laugh, unable to answer. he is covering his neck subconsciously, tugging the collar of his shirt higher. 'well, about the egg...'

I knew it. I knew Touko smelled off.

'congratulations, n. you'll make a good sire.' I tell him. reshiram is starting to shake again, so I quickly brace myself for any excited tackling.

before it can happen, Touko exits the daycare building and returns her team to their pokeballs. reshiram and I are left outside, and we easily step over the fencing of the daycare.

I nudge her head again. 'congratulations.'

and though she is no dragon-speaker, she understands. her arms enclose around me in a warm embrace, which I sorely missed during our two weeks apart. "you'll always be one of my babies too, you overgrown lizard." she whispers. 

somehow I understand that her speech should offend me, but all I feel is my heart threatening to burst.

x

maternity is a beautiful look on my partner. she glows with an otherworldly sort of radiance that dazzles anyone who dares to look, especially her doting mate.

however, with her beauty comes a tripled temper. her already short fuse is now non-existent, and she snaps easily. her moods change rapidly, much like reshiram on a particularly off day.

it is terrifying.

their home is usually a cacophony of noise from her shouting, his sobbing, and the Pokemon's attempts to cool them both down. reshiram has always sided with n, just like I have always sided with Touko, and there are many times that a repeat of their final battle from the time n was a king threatened to occur.

but those two, stubborn as they are, have always pulled through. Touko always manages to reign in her temper somehow, and n would always be able to summon a mental fortitude strong enough to withstand Touko's ever-changing moods and oftentimes hurtful words.

they are an admirable pair.

I know now that no battle, whether in the household or in the Pokemon league, would ever be one too big for them to overcome. they are strong, and they will continue to become stronger the more time they spend together. it is a quirk all soulmates share.

(happiness, I have learned, is not everlasting, but it is up to us whether to keep finding it or to give up.

and these two- they would sooner kill each other than ever think of giving up.)

x

if Touko pregnant was terrifying, then Touko giving birth is darkrai's worst nightmare.

her agonized screams, her curses, her raw voice-

it had taken all of my willpower to not raze the hospital to the ground. reshiram's fur is also on end, pupils dilated. she is tense, and looks ready to set fire to the world if news that Touko didn't make it reaches her ears.

n is inside with her. we know that her horrid condition had to have taken a toll on his sanity, but he is stubborn and would not let go of her hand, no matter how many times she curses his name and screams at the doctors, who tell her to 'push one more time, ma'am!'.

Touko is strong. she is the strongest human I know. she will make it out of this- I just knew it.

(birth is such a morbid concept. the life of one at the stake of another.)

x

Touko makes it. the baby does too.

or should I say, babies.

to our surprise, Touko had been carrying not one, not two-

but three babies in her belly all along. so that was why she took so long to give birth...

n is crying rather unattractively, but his immense happiness is shared by reshiram, and also me, though I don't show it. from our perches outside the hospital, n shoves the two babies he has in hand in our faces, wailing about fatherhood and how big his love for his wife is, and I simply licked the tiny human's red cheek.

it smells pure, and my instincts scream at me to protect it. even without their urging, I would have done so with my life.  
reshiram also looks taken with the little baby, shaking uncontrollably. she crashes into me with a loud, unattractive wail, matching her partner's.

'i can't! I simply can't! it is too cute to bear!' she sorrowfully informs me. I sigh and pet her mane as she sobs into my neck. the babies stay blissfully unaware of the overreacting dragon and slumber peacefully in their father's arms.

the last baby is in Touko's hold. i stick my snout in the tiny hospital window and Touko gingerly raises the baby towards me. like I did with the one before, I lick the baby's cheek, tasting innocence.

once again, I vow to protect these three with my life, just as I had vowed to protect n, Touko, their friends and family, and reshiram.

they are mine now.

x

the baby girls are given the names shiragiku, benibara, and magunoria.

x

shiragiku is the oldest. she is very curious and loves to explore. oftentimes, I am tasked by a panicked Touko to search for her lost baby, only to find that the girl had been hiding out in the gardens. she gives me too many heart attacks to count.

benibara is timid and gentle, but loves Pokemon arguably more than her father. she is the only one out of the triplets who can understand the Pokemon language, and also the only one who could get away with braiding reshiram's mane.

(she absolutely hates the kinks in her fur after it is braided. her vanity exceeds human comprehension.)

magunoria is the last of the trio. she is a sweet child, who is extremely active and loves to climb onto things- her favorite being me. fortunately for her, she also happens to be my favorite, so I do not mind.

the triplets look exactly like each other, brown hair and blue eyes, with the exception of how they choose to style their hair. shiragiku puts it up high in a ponytail like her mother, while benibara pulls it low just like her father. magunoria chooses to leave hers unbound, in unruly curls down her back.

I love each and every one of them, no matter how many times I have to look for them when they suddenly go missing, approach hostile and dangerous Pokemon just because they look lonely, or get climbed all over like I am some sort of jungle gym.

they are mine, and they always will be.

x

the triplets have a habit of calling me and reshiram 'kromie' and 'shira'. it carries over into adulthood.

it reminds me of the old daycare couple, whom reshiram had always wanted to tackle out of overwhelming affection. I wonder if they are still around.

anyway, the triplets are now not babies anymore. humans call this phase 'teenage years'. I do not like it, not one bit- and so does n.

the girls have only grown more and more beautiful by the day, and I would be blind to not see the too-interested leers sent their way by disgusting low-life slobs. I wish I had the power to poke the eyeballs of every male that has ever looked at my girls that way. it is irritating.

reshiram find the situation amusing. 'love, do you honestly expect that pretty little things like them wouldn't turn a few heads? idiot.' she teases, nuzzling my neck.

'of course, but those unbecoming perverts always stare at them inappropriately! how can I not get mad?' I snap back defensively. reshiram hums. 'they can't help it. humans love beautiful things, and those girls triple the standards.'

I reluctantly agree with her. beauty is one thing, but them being triplets makes them all the more intriguing.

our conversation is interrupted by the three simultaneous calls of n's eye-apples.

'kromie! Shira! we're baaackkk!'

we both give a roar of acknowledgement and wait patiently for them to come to us. reshiram is still nuzzled to me, halfway in my lap. she lifts her head a chirps a cheerful greeting at the triplets.

'hello pretties!'

the girls, aged 17 summers each, call back happily and flop unceremoniously onto the remaining spaces of my lap. I adjust my legs carefully so as not to jostle either my darling or my other three darlings.

as soon as they are comfortable, shiragiku launches into a tirade about her day, and consequently, her sisters' as well, while benibara sets to quickly braiding reshiram's mane. magunoria starts climbing, and I obediently stay still for her.

n bursts into the room.

"my babies!" he cries out excitedly. the girls perk up and squeal, bowling him over at the same time. "daddyyyy!"

Touko pokes her head in at the noise, before grinning. "girls, you're back! get in the kitchen, we're having roasts tonight!"

"yes Mama, sir!"

as the trio of girls and their happy father trot away to enjoy dinner, I think back to how much n and Touko have changed.

it is odd, yet entirely familiar, to see them as parents. of course, I have witnessed it in many other of their lifetimes, but this time... this time, it is different. it is wholesome. I feel... happy.

it is an odd sensation, but one that is welcomed regardless. rarely ever do I get to feel so... whole, and wanted.

perhaps, I think to myself, as reshiram takes over the vacated spaces of my lap, this is my favourite reincarnation of them yet.

x

us dragons, we are immortal. we are beings considered as gods, who have raised Unova from the earth and founded the bases for humans to call home. our power, our connection to nature, fuels our living. so long as that link exists, we do as well.

the same could not be said for our mortal partners.

time does not exist for us dragons. humans have created the measurement of time to measure the rate of decay of the universe, because they are limited beings with alarmingly short lifespans. clever as they are, they have devised systems that allow them to make the most of the time they do have, and that is the measurement of time.

I have said plenty of times that I have witnessed hundreds upon hundreds of reincarnations of the same heroes with different faces, but never could I get used to the pain of losing them.

Touko is dying. n is too.

it is apparent in the increasing amount of silver wisps in their once vibrant hair, now dulled to ashen shades of their original colour. their skin has lost the rosiness of youth, wrinkling at the corners of their eyes and mouths. their bones have grown brittle and their memories have begun to wane.

(I could still remember the first time n had asked reshiram who she was, and what she was doing with a human like him. she had been incredibly upset and heartbroken, refusing to talk to him for days.

I could not blame either of them.)

love is powerful. it can make you invincible, or it can shatter you to pieces. I have been fortunate and also unfortunate in being able to experience both.

Touko is dying, just like her past selves had-

yet it hurts much, much more this time. I feel like I myself am dying with her.

their children are all grown up with their own families. they visit often enough, and frequently check in to make sure that both are okay. but day by day, I could see all three of the girls start to lose a bit of their vibrance. their smiles are more dull. their eyes have lost their shine.

they know what is coming, as well as I and reshiram do.

death is inevitable. 

x

Touko keeps her promise to n in her proposal.

she has been his one and only partner throughout this dance of theirs, whether the music played or not. they have danced every dance imaginable, stepping on the other's feet more times that one is able to count, and have experienced the lowest dips and highest lifts, all while wildfires blaze and thunderstorms rattle the dancefloor.

now, their dance is coming to an end, and they are ending it as they have started it-

-together.

x

the blazing pillars of flame dull down to mere embers. the brilliant flashes of lightning grow further and further apart.

finally, the fires go out as the sky clears.

x

I am outside the hospital with reshiram, just like the day Touko had given birth to her beautiful triplets. everything looks almost the same, except n and Touko are both in hospital beds, old and wrinkled, and heavily dependent on wires and tubes and machines.

their girls and Touko's team surround the beds, which have been pushed together despite protocol, and are all in a state of despair. only magunoria manages a watery smile, which prompts n to shakily cup her cheek.

"my darlings, the lights of my life," he exhales shakily. his eyes are glassy and his mouth is covered with a mask that helps him breathe. the girls hiccup and sniffle nearly simultaneously. Touko weakly places her own brittle hand atop his free one, eyes blinking slower and slower.

"you have made me the happiest I could be. I am proud of who you have become, of the feats you have achieved in the years you have." he rasps out, smiling so brightly that I have a hard time believing that he is on his deathbed.

"I love you, forever and always." n beckons them closer, and kisses their cheeks for the final time.

reshiram shakes horribly from beside me, and it is not out of positive emotion for once. 

n turns toward us, smiling at what parts of our snouts he could see. he pats us both. "my dearest friends. my partners in adventure. I could not thank you both enough for the amazing things you have brought into my once dull life. sincerely, I owe you my deepest gratitude."

reshiram bawls. the lawn grass behind her is set ablaze.

Touko, who has been silent for the most part, begins to speak as well.

"Zekrom, reshiram. you are both my darlings, though you have lived more lifetimes than I could ever dream of, yet know that no matter what, you two will always be my precious overgrown lizards." her crooked smile, so very similar to one she always seemed to wear in her prime, pulls at the heartstrings I never knew I had. 

pain explodes in my chest, though no physical damage has been inflicted. in that moment of weakness, I curse love, and the attachment it has given me. it hurts. it hurts so very much.

she says something to her team next, but I could not hear what it was, too deep in the overwhelming feeling of my heart threatening to shatter. all I can hear are their anguished cries, jumbled and heartbreaking.

like a choreographed dance, both turn fully to face each other. they smile their secret smile, no regret in their eyes. it is something I have witnessed before, yet the pain of it never goes away.

my heart finally breaks, when all they say to each other is

"see you later."

and the machines give a long, mournful, monotoned shriek.

x

(they knew. they always have.)

(soulmates always do.)

x

the concept of reincarnation is hard to grasp. even I, who have witnessed it countless times, still cannot understand the mechanics behind it.

all I know is, it is befitting as the fate of heroes, of soulmates, to be able to meet again and again, because their creation was never meant to be separate.

peace is all that I feel when the pain of heartbreak fades away, as does my physical body, and all that is left is the core of my soul. as it has always been, it disappears into thin air, only to be found by the next heroes -and soulmates- to come.

ideally, that is how everything should be.

x


End file.
